The Honour Code
by Arbmaster 16
Summary: Espio fears for the fate of his clan after not being in contact with them for years. Shadow joins up with him to uncover a dark secret amongst the caves of the Dragon Kingdom. Their journey sparks new emotion that Shadow can't yet understand. Is he changing and if so, can he accept himself?
1. Homecoming

**Hello everyone! Welcome to the new and improved, _'The Honour Code'_! I loved this story when I first wrote it and since reading back through it, I knew it could be so much better. I've worked really hard on this so I hope you all like it! R&amp;R's are always appreciated here as long as criticism is constructive. :)**

**I first did this over a year ago so, as a break from my other current story, I thought finally rewriting this would be a good way to gather ideas. Now that it's finished, I'm sharing it with all of you!**

**I will upload a chapter a week, every Saturday, until it's finished. It is a short story now instead of a one shot, that's how much I've added to it.**

**I think that's all for now, so I'll see you all next week!**

**Arby xx **

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His heartbeat mimicked his every step. Regular and dreary. The downpour combined with the clouded night sky was enough to keep any normal being indoors. The difference here was that he was no 'normal' person. Others found their comfort in front of a blissful, open fire while this one found a strange sense of serenity as he wandered aimlessly in the middle of a summer storm. With no plan as to where to go, he simply followed where his instincts took him.

He wouldn't admit it, but each lightning strike scared him. His façade of remaining calm covered it up well as another bolt struck the planet's surface. The split second of white light allowed him to see that he was stood on the edge of a cliff staring far out into the open ocean. The high speed winds were deafening. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes, silently allowing the storm surrounding him to halt his thoughts. For that moment, everything else was non-existent until a sudden boom from the heavens brought him back to reality.

The thoughts were still there however, the ones that had plagued him for weeks. He had never been haunted by them before, they rarely crossed his mind at all but it seemed that now they demanded his attention, even to the point of insomnia. The centre of these thoughts was his clan and his original home, Shinobi. The chameleon had left long ago because he was under orders from the Bride of Constant Vigil. Since then, he hasn't heard from them. That alone wasn't what bothered him; he knew all too well that they were secretive and that he was more than capable of operating without being checked up on. It was the fact that it had been so long which was what caused him to become nervous and unsettled. Was this homesickness? After this many years, he doubted it. It was something else and sooner or later, he was going to figure it out.

Violent shivers soon told the reptile that he had been out for long enough. He turned away from the restless waters and headed back to the Chaotix HQ.

The walk home seemed to last only five minutes when in actual fact, it had been nearly an hour. He crept across the creaky floorboards of the trio's small yet cosy house as quietly as he could to avoid waking the other two up. His mind was so focused on being silent that he didn't notice the clock on the wall which read 3am.

Once in his room, without a peep being made, his tired body crashed upon his dark, purple bedsheets. It squeaked a little from the impact and being quite worn out, but it was comfortable for the ninja nonetheless. His eyes, the two golden windows that gave the only insight into his soul, stared aimlessly at the ceiling trying desperately to close and rest, but they couldn't. His mind was still awake at the many thoughts that ran through his conscious. Soon however, those thoughts became his lullaby and it wasn't too long before he drifted off to sleep.

Espio's usual wake up time would be around 5am to meditate before the others awoke at around 9am; today was not the case however. Two purple eyelids slowly opened as the sun lit up the room and gave it a warm glow. The ceiling and carpet were both a jet black while the walls were purple to match his scales just like his bedsheets. His bed was snug in the corner with a small table next to it. Upon this table was a lamp, alarm clock (which Vector and Charmy kindly got him for his birthday) and a picture of the trio in front of the agency when they first got it. A quick glance reminded him that it was Vanilla that took the picture for them, which the green reptile dramatically thanked her for.

Espio's amber eyes met with his alarm clock which to his shock, read 3pm. His eyes widened considerably before he leapt out of bed with a rush of adrenaline.

"_Why didn't anyone wake me?!"_ He thought in a panic before putting on his shoes and gloves and heading downstairs. Once in the living room, he tilted his head at the sight of no one else there. A note upon Vector's desk, which was at the back of the room next to the kitchen doorway, caught the ninja's attention. It had been quickly hand-written and was a bit scruffy, but readable regardless.

'_Sup Espio,_

_I took Charmy out to get some groceries. We needed some but since the little guy wouldn't stop bugging me about getting more honey, I thought it would a good chance to get out and away from paperwork for a few hours._

_While I'm writing this, I gotta ask if you're alright. I've noticed your odd behaviour lately so don't try to hide it. I want to know if you're ok since I am your friend and all (and your boss of course). It's only right that I make sure my partner in crime is doing well (that was a joke Espio, Charmy told me to write that)._

_Anyway, if you want to talk then you know where I am (literally)._

_We won't be long so if you're up, we'll see you when we get back._

_Vector.'_

Espio couldn't help but sigh. It wasn't that he was alone that bothered him. If anything, he was thankful that the pair were gone for a while. What bothered the younger reptilian was that he had nothing to distract himself from his often overpowering thoughts. They were almost addicting. If he thought about it once, then that would be it for him for the rest of the day. He shook his head, not allowing himself to fall into another downward spiral. Upon looking around, he noticed the TV remote on the table in the centre of the room between the two couches. With nothing else, he flicked on the image box with the hope that something good would be on; his luck was not with him today. The majority of shows that were on these days were degrading reality shows, cheesy game shows and other desperate attempts to make bad actors famous. All they did was irritate the ninja before he finally turned it off.

"Dammit…" He groaned as he covered his face with his hands. In the end, he ventured into their tiny backyard which was where he practised his ninja skills and kept them as honed as possible. It was a perfect little spot as Vector and Charmy never used it, even in exquisite weather such as this, with the evidence being the horrifically overgrown weeds and stinging nettles.

_Meanwhile…_

Vector and Charmy had been to Vanilla's house. The croc wanted to see her and not just because he secretly liked her (not so much of a secret since Charmy and Espio knew) but also because he wanted some advice on how to approach his chameleon comrade about his unusual behaviour. Charmy on the other hand, hadn't noticed at all and just went to play games with Cream.

"Try to talk to him in a calm and quiet environment. He'll know that you're willing to listen and perhaps then he'll open up a little more. Don't push him though, I know how he is. If he doesn't want to talk, then simply let him know that you're there if he needs you. I'm sure he'll come round eventually." Her warm smile was enough to put Vector at ease. He thanked her just as he always did before eventually leaving to go to the grocery store.

That was where they were now, and had been for exactly forty-five minutes. Vector already had what he needed in his basket. Chips, soda, tea supplies (mainly for Espio) and several frozen pizzas for those 'can't be bothered to cook' days. What held him back was his younger bee friend who couldn't decide what kind of honey he wanted. His patience finally gave in.

"Can you hurry up?!" He demanded but Charmy took the honey situation very seriously and no one, not even Vector would stop him from taking his very sweet time.

"You will never understand how important this is. I don't nag you about Vanilla so don't nag me!" He complained which unfortunately silenced the head honcho there and then. With a roll of his eyes, he looked around the store to see if there was anyone he could talk to. There were a variety of people, both human and Mobian alike who either were with their families picking up dinner or alone and just grabbing a snack.

"_Nobody I know."_ He thought, knowing he couldn't just talk to some random stranger to pass the time. He then began to think about the only one of the Chaotix who was still at home, Espio. Many questions popped up as the chameleon entered his mind once again. _"Is there something wrong? If there is, why won't he tell me? Does he not trust me?"_

"Got it!" Charmy suddenly sang which nearly gave the tall croc a heart attack.

"Oh, finally!" He said trying to recover from his daydreams which thankfully, the bee didn't notice. "Come on, we should get this stuff paid for and then we can go home." Vector told him.

"Sure thing, boss!" The insect chirped with as much enthusiasm as ever.

The duo made their way home with Vector carrying most of the shopping. Charmy was trying to make haste as he was excited to make himself some honey on toast. The croc thought the idea was odd but never questioned him on it.

"_He likes what he likes."_ Vector thought. He knew it would ruin the bee's appetite before dinner but Charmy was stubborn, even more than Espio at times. There was no telling him otherwise which in a sense was good. It meant he could learn on his own and hopefully grow up to be independent.

Their walk home was accompanied by a slight chill as the sun was no longer at its highest at this time in the afternoon. It wasn't enough to spoil their mood however, they were both fairly content. They soon came to the front door which Charmy had to open since Vector had his hands full. Upon entry, their first sight was the ninja chameleon himself, who was laid upon the couch groaning quietly. For Vector at least, the sight alone was very strange. Espio was never lazy; not once since he had known the guy had he seen him behave like this. He knew instantly that something was wrong.

"Espio?" He asked, keeping his voice calm to avoid irritating the chameleon whilst clearly conveying his concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." The younger reptilian's voice was about as readable as paper that had been set on fire. Vector couldn't tell if he was upset, angry, both or neither. He tilted his head in suspicion while Charmy approached slowly to say hi to his friend. He stopped however, once he noticed scratches and cuts upon his body. The bee couldn't help but question it. The sight of Espio being injured was one that the child was unfamiliar with.

"What happened to you?" Charmy's voice was as much innocent as it was curious. Espio couldn't get angry at him, not that he wanted to, even if the kid got on his nerves regularly. Now was not one of those times. Upon hearing the bee's sudden questioning, Vector also moved towards him to see what he was talking about. His jaw dropped at the sight of him. It looked as if a cat had used him as a scratching post.

"Espio?! What the hell happened to you?" Vector said, forgetting that Charmy had asked already. The larger croc didn't mean to panic as much as he did. He had never known Espio be hurt and instantly thought that someone attacked him. The ninja on the other hand, wasn't comfortable with all this attention and calmed the duo immediately.

"Stop it!" He said sternly which was enough to grant him his much-wanted silence. "You are overreacting, Vector. I was merely outside when I got caught in those overgrown nettles." The smaller reptile explained. Vector didn't seem convinced.

"I don't understand. You've never been hurt by them before." He voiced his seemingly obvious thoughts which for some reason irritated the other male.

"I am fully aware of that fact. What is your point?" Now Espio's voice had an edge. If Vector was going to confront him, then now would be the time. He turned to Charmy with a softer look and told him to go play outside. Being completely unaware of the real situation, Charmy nodded happily and proceeded to dance his way out the door with a surprising amount of grace.

Now that they were both alone, Vector sat down next to the ninja who now had his arms folded and had his gaze away from him. He hoped that Espio would at least turn to look at him but it seemed that wouldn't be the case. After a few minutes of tense silence, Vector eventually began to share his concerns.

"Espio, I don't want to bother you or make you feel uncomfortable, but I have noticed your behaviour lately and this little incident is only proving my point. What is bothering you?" The chameleon remained silent and didn't move a muscle. He continued nonetheless. "You're my best friend Es and yes, I do care. Of course you don't have to tell me anything but if you do, I will listen. I promise you that." Could he tell him? Should he tell him? In all honesty, he wasn't sure if Vector would understand since everyone he cared about was either in the same building or the same city. Perhaps once he should try, he couldn't just jump to conclusions when he may be able to help. If one thing was for certain, he had to get it out otherwise it would overwhelm him yet again.

"Vector… I've been having these thoughts." He began. Why was he so nervous? He forced it aside and continued. "I didn't think they would bother me this much but over time, they have been wearing me down, hence these ridiculous scratches."

"What are these thoughts about?" Vector asked in a caring tone. He took a second before answering.

"I cannot be certain, but they are centred around my origins and my home." The croc tried to hide his confusion but Espio was quick to notice his expression. He knew he wouldn't understand.

"Your home? You are home, Espio." He let out a loud sigh in frustration. Vector grew anxious when the chameleon suddenly got up and turned to him with a face that could kill. The Chaotix leader knew he had hit a nerve, but how? And why?

"I am not talking about here." Espio began with a noticeable growl that accompanied his words. "I am talking about the Dragon Kingdom! The place I came from and the clan I left behind!" The croc was lost for words. The last thing he wanted to do was anger his friend further but sitting quietly didn't exactly calm the situation either. "You know what? It was a mistake in thinking that you could actually help me. I thought you knew me Vector, especially after the many years we have spent together. You have now proven to me that you do not." With no hesitation, he walked to the door much to Vector's panic.

"W-where are you going?!" He asked with an uprising fear.

"That is none of your concern. I will return when I have done what is needed." The door slammed shut, leaving Vector utterly motionless at Espio's outburst. His expression then saddened as he sat back down.

"_I was only trying to help you…"_


	2. Beneath the Surface

**Hello again! Welcome to Chapter 2 of 'The Honour Code'! I hope you all liked the first chapter!**

**Someone else enters the story in this chapter. If you know me well enough, then you already know who it is.**

**Anyway, I won't give anything away. I'll let you read it and find out for yourselves. I hope you have all had a good week. Mine hasn't been all that exciting so I won't go into it.**

**Without anything else to say, I'll leave you to it.**

**Have a good weekend and I'll see you all next Saturday!**

**Arby xx**

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The vast openness of the plains passed under his feet. Espio had been running like this for hours without stopping. The city was but a memory now just like the forest that surrounded it. There was no destination planned, at least not yet. It was almost as if he was trying to escape, not just from the Chaotix but from his mind as well. Curious, golden orbs soon landed upon the spectacular sunset that was just beginning to disappear over the horizon. The view was hypnotic with a variety of colours ranging from red to orange to yellow. Above this explosion of beauty, were shades of blue and purple which seemed to be the aftermath of such a sight. For the moment, the wandering ninja forgot about the world around him which was a rare luxury. Normally, he would be far more aware of his surroundings than anyone else seemed to notice. This time was different however, as the reptile was so focused on this natural phenomenon, he had no idea that someone else was moving alongside him at a pace that matched his own.

The mammal that had suddenly accompanied him from nowhere was one that also enjoyed being alone. He, possibly out of everyone, was the most likely to be understanding of Espio's situation; he just didn't know it yet. The other male was none other than the Ultimate Lifeform himself, Shadow the Hedgehog.

He had his own reasons for being out here but this was a unique opportunity. The ninja had not noticed him and he used the element of surprise to his own advantage. Shadow moved closer to him and whispered one word.

"Boo." As expected, the chameleon was startled and attacked on instinct. Shadow was more than prepared for his reaction and simply moved to the side, allowing the ninja to land on the cracked surface in a state of shock and confusion. The chameleon took a double take, not believing that it was really him at first.

"Sh-Shadow?" The amused hedgehog nodded back at him, letting him know that this was not a hallucination. "What are you doing out here?" Shadow took a long breath, in and then out, before he answered.

"Don't be so quick to question, chameleon; although I could ask you the same, along with how you acquired those wounds." He said referring to his scratches. It then dawned on Espio that he had just tried to attack this guy, yet he seemed unphased.

"My apologies, Shadow. My mind was elsewhere." He said with some embarrassment. Shadow just huffed, not bothered either way. Espio got up and dusted himself off. The hedgehog seemed to observe him as he got to his feet, but he wasn't going to question it.

"It is fine." He said simply before walking in the direction that Espio was originally heading in. The chameleon followed alongside.

"Where are we?" He asked now that he had taken in the emptiness of where he was. The last thing he remembered was entering the forest. When did he get here?

"Again, no need to question. Just take it in and calm yourself. You are obviously troubled." Espio's mouth opened slightly. Was it that obvious? Regardless, he obeyed the hedgehog and took several breaths whilst looking around. The plains they walked upon were heavily cracked from the summer sun and there weren't any signs of civilisation anywhere; yet it somehow seemed familiar. Had he been here before? Deep down, he knew where he was but at the same time, he didn't. The feeling was unnerving.

"I was running and I fell into stinging nettles." Espio said out of nowhere.

"Hm?" Shadow had his crimson eyes upon the chameleon as they walked. He could see that he was tense.

"You asked why I was out here and how I 'acquired these wounds' as you put it." The ninja reminded him.

"Yes, but you do not have to tell me anything." The dark hedgehog's words eased him. Despite the pair being somewhat unfamiliar with each other, he related to him the most. Their personalities were similar; they both were disconnected from modern society; they both enjoyed being alone and they were both generally serious when it came to life's many situations. With these things in common, Espio wanted to trust him, not allowing his rough past to affect his opinion.

"I've… simply not been right lately; as vague as that is. I keep thinking back to the Shinobi and I grow more concerned by the day. I, for some reason, thought Vector would understand. Needless to say it didn't end well and I… ran." Espio felt ashamed. He wasn't the type of person to run from his problems and Shadow knew this. "I also fell into the nettles when I was practising my ninja techniques, but enough of that." The chameleon explained quickly before moving on. "Since I told you, why don't you tell me? What brings you to this wasteland?" The chameleon asked hoping to shift the attention off of himself and onto Shadow.

"I wanted to be by myself for a while. I often come out here because I know no one else will. It seems you have proven me wrong." He said with a chuckle. Shadow's voice was clearly relaxed. Espio could only guess that he was comfortable out here.

"My apolo-"

"Why are you apologising?" Shadow cut him off. Espio's eyes snapped onto the hedgehog, who was still looking at him. They stared awkwardly at each other for the briefest of moments but to the duo, it was as if an eternity just flashed between them. "I never said running into you was a bad thing." The chameleon was left without words. Shadow wasn't usually the comforting type. The more he thought about it, the more he realised he had never seen him comfort anyone in his life. The small grin on the black hedgehog's face was enough proof that he meant what he said. Espio smiled the first fully genuine smile in a long time.

"Thank you, Shadow."

"For what?" The content mammal questioned. The ninja thought about his answer carefully.

"For being here." He replied, his voice being just as relaxed. Shadow smirked before looking away from him.

"I never knew my presence could ease someone so much. You are welcome nonetheless." Espio also looked away and kept his gaze forward. A silence lasted but it didn't feel at all awkward as they both had assumed. After several moments, Shadow continued to ask Espio about his problems. "This 'Shinobi' you mentioned, what is it?" The reptile chuckled but did not hesitate in informing him.

"The Shinobi are my clan. It is with that clan that I grew up and learned everything I know today. My Master allowed me to leave them with orders that I could act as I see fit. Only recently has this absence bothered me." Espio explained. "I left them years ago."

"So, you wish to go back there?" Shadow asked. Espio nodded with a saddened expression upon his face. "Where are they located?" Shadow questioned further.

"In the Dragon Kingdom." An uneasy expression made itself known upon the hedgehog. Espio was quick to notice. "What is it?"

"You obviously do not know of the events that occurred."

"What are you talking about?" Espio demanded. The subject wasn't one the ninja took lightly and if Shadow knew something, then he was not leaving until he had shared his information.

"You remember the Dragon Kingdom as a place of beauty; filled with forests, mountains and endless rivers. Am I correct?" Espio nodded but didn't say a word. "Eggman has since been there. Since it has a considerable lack of technology, those that were there could not inform anyone of his doings; because of this…" Shadow trailed off, knowing what he was about to say would hurt the anxious chameleon.

"What? Shadow, tell me." His voice was stern but the Ultimate Lifeform could easily detect his concern.

"The place where we stand_ is_ the Dragon Kingdom." The hedgehog was forced to look away from Espio's utterly distraught face. His amber eyes were wide and his mouth hung. Words had long since abandoned him whilst Shadow's echoed in his head. "I am sorry." The mammal finished.

"No…" Espio whispered, refusing to believe the brutal truth that had been staring at him in the face. "What of the clans? Did they survive?" He asked desperately.

"No one has any idea. There have been no signs of any life since." Shadow told him.

"How long ago was this?"

"Not as long as most may assume. An environmental change like this would normally take years but thanks to Eggman's machinery, it took less than a month." The ninja's jaw dropped.

"How did no one know about this?!" Anger now flooded his voice but Shadow knew it wasn't directly aimed at him. He was distressed and for a good reason.

"Very few dare to enter the Dragon Kingdom. There were many stories and legends told about the clans that lived here, which scared most, even those with the means to defend themselves. On top of that, the absence of long-distance communication here stopped any chance of them calling for help." The scenario was like a living nightmare for the reptile but there was no chance he was running this time.

"I have to return to Shinobi. I have to know if they are alive." Espio stated without a hint of hesitation. Shadow nodded in understanding before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

"Good luck, Espio." His eyes were fixated on the hedgehog as if the very thought of him leaving was wrong.

"Shadow." He called, prompting the mammal in question to turn and look at him. "Come with me. You've been kind enough to help me so far. If Eggman is still here, then I'm going to need help plus…" He stopped and blushed slightly as if his next words were some kind of weakness. "… I need you with me." Shadow's reaction was similar except he was bold enough to not turn away. Instead, he simply nodded and returned to Espio's side as they both ventured deeper into the devastated Dragon Kingdom.

Despite the areas of lush vegetation being now non-existent, no technology of one man could move mountains, which Espio remembered clearly being where the entrance to the Shinobi caves was located. Somewhere near the border if he wasn't mistaken.

They were a labyrinth. Shadow was already lost within the first ten minutes of being underground. It amazed him how Espio knew his way around perfectly, even in darkness that matched his fur. They stayed close, ensuring that they wouldn't get separated with Shadow using his Chaos Emerald to provide some form of light. It seemed like forever that they had been down here, mindlessly wandering through caves and avoiding the odd endless abyss. When Shadow's patience had finally grown thin, he noticed a faint flicker in the distance.

"Over there." He said and pointed in the direction of the light.

"We made it." Espio stated before running to the source. The hedgehog was quick to follow but stopped when he came to a huge gap in the rock. It was far too wide for them to jump across but on the other side, was the entrance to the Shinobi.

"How, may I ask, do we cross this?" Shadow asked with clear irritation to his words.

"This is the 'Way of the Blind'. Under normal circumstances, I would go invisible and leave you to figure out how to cross this by yourself but since these aren't normal circumstances, stay close and follow my lead." The chameleon explained before suddenly walking across thin air. Shadow was absolutely baffled. There was no technology, no machines… nothing. How did they achieve this? How was this possible? "Shadow?" He snapped from the many questions in his mind and caught up to Espio who had waited for him before moving further. He couldn't lie; walking above certain death on an invisible path was beyond nerve-wracking. One wrong step and that's it. It bothered him so much that it distracted him from his current task. He thought that Espio was still walking forwards when he had actually turned left. The hedgehog continued staring down until he felt his heart stop when his foot slid off the edge of the invisible walkway. Shadow tried to recover but it was already too late as he began to fall into the unknown below.

"Chaos!" He shouted on instinct but stopped when he felt his body halt. One piercing, red eye opened to see that he was still in thin air. Shadow quickly looked up to see that Espio was hanging on with one hand whilst holding on to Shadow with the other. "…Control?" He finished in disbelief.

"Are you alright?" The ninja asked.

_"How is he so calm?!"_ Shadow thought before finally gathering the necessary words to answer. "Pull me up, and then ask me that again." Espio did as instructed and, with some effort, pulled himself up along with the hanging hedgehog shortly after.

"Are you alright?" He repeated just as Shadow had asked him to.

"I'm alive." It took several deep breaths before Shadow continued. "Thanks Espio. That may have been the end of me."

"You're the Ultimate Lifeform, I highly doubt it." Espio reassured much to Shadow's surprise but he wouldn't relax until he was on solid ground.

"Can we just get off of this thing?" The ninja nodded but this time he kept a hold of his hand and led him across. The still-shaken hedgehog wasn't entirely sure what to make of the situation. He thought that the act of holding hands was purely something that couples did judging on what he had seen in the past. Regardless, he knew the chameleon was looking out for him, or so he hoped, and didn't question it. Espio let go once they had made it to the other side with Shadow giving a noticeable exhale of relief now that his life was safer than before.

They entered into the many tunnels of the Shinobi only to find that it was eerily empty. Many flickering torches upon the walls added to the atmosphere that so far, neither of them enjoyed. The pair both had the same feeling of uneasiness but Espio was the one to voice it.

"Where is everyone? There should have been guards." Shadow simply shrugged despite being stood behind him. Standing in the entrance way wouldn't provide them with answers so they made their way around. Not a single chameleon was here. Instead, various ninja weaponry were dug into the rocky walls, as if deliberately being thrown into them with some force. Espio studied them closely and felt his stomach sink. "This isn't good. I fear they may have been attacked."

"I can't say I'm surprised. If the doctor is around, then he probably attacked any and all that lived here."

"We have to look for them. We can search the tunnels faster if we split up." Espio suggested.

"You seem to forget that I have never been here before. Not only do I have no clue where I'm going, but if either of us were to get into trouble, we cannot communicate and I cannot Chaos Control." The hedgehog had made a good point. He could see that the chameleon was trying to think of something but nothing came to mind. With a roll of the eyes, Shadow gave in, deciding that he could handle himself if something was to happen and he knew Espio could as well.

In no time at all, they both headed in opposite directions to cover as much of the cave system as they could. Espio moved towards the Bride's Chamber while Shadow went wherever his instincts took him. Unlike his chameleon companion, Shadow took his time when looking around and was sure to study the many signs which told him that life had been here previously.

_"There are no bodies, not even blood yet there was obviously some kind of struggle here."_ He stopped and placed a hand on his chin as he thought about the situation further. _"They were taken, that much I know. But to where?"_ His crimson eyes scanned the wall but stopped the moment they noticed something odd about it. There were dark spots, a lot of them, dotted around. Once he had seen a few, Shadow began to notice the others. They were everywhere. His expression grew to one of anger when he realised that they were burns from laser fire. There was only one person he knew that used laser weaponry at all. With clenched fists and gritted teeth, Shadow instantly growled the word "Eggman".


	3. Silent Intentions

**Welcome back everyone! I hope you have all had a good week! I've got another chapter for you all ready to go! Before I get to it, I need to clear one thing up.**

**To the very nice Guest who left the reviews (I can't reply to you personally because it is a Guest account, so I'll have to do it here. I hope that's ok.): I have rewritten this to improve on the spelling, grammar and a few holes in the story that I found whilst reading through it again. Don't worry, the storyline has only had a few minor changes or additions that should (Hopefully) make it better. I appreciate the kind words you wrote. Thank you so much! :)**

**With that, I greatly appreciate all the reviews and friendly words that people have left for me. They motivate me to write more for you all to read! So a big thank you to all of you who have read and reviewed! It means a lot! :)**

**That's all for now. Have a great week and I'll see you next weekend!**

**Arby xx**

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"What do you mean he 'just left'?" Charmy questioned his reptilian boss while he paced around the room.

"I mean he just left, Charms! He said he would come back when he had done 'what was needed'." Vector explained.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know!" Vector wasn't angry, just upset. He was clearly concerned for Espio who he assumed was missing at this point. The younger bee wasn't at all worried, he was convinced that Espio would come back; not believing that the ninja reptile would ever leave them.

"Calm down, you're not normally this worked up unless Vanilla is around." Vector didn't look amused whilst Charmy found himself hilarious. "He'll come back, Vec." He said in a reassuring tone.

"I'm not so sure." Vector admitted. "He said something about the Dragon Kingdom and about his clan. Do you think he could've gone back?" Charmy didn't say anything at first. Instead, a grin slowly appeared across his face. "What?" Vector asked, seeing no reason why the bee would be this happy at all.

"Road trip?" He asked with clear hope decorating his words.

"Ugh Charmy…" The croc groaned.

"Road trip?" He sang this time. Vector thought about it. He knew sitting around wouldn't solve his problems, plus he still wanted to prove to Espio that he was a good friend, even if he wasn't great with a serious conversation.

"You know what? That's not a bad idea. How about we get everyone we know and see if we can find him?" Charmy jumped up in excitement while Vector grabbed the phone on his desk and began calling the others.

"Road trip!"

Later that night, many of their Mobian friends had gathered outside of the Chaotix HQ, even Rouge and Omega despite how out of place they were. Vector didn't question their presence and just assumed they would be looking for gems or for Shadow. The croc explained the situation to the others.

"That's odd. It's not like Espio to just run off like that." Knuckles said, knowing the chameleon almost as well as the remaining Chaotix pair. A few of the others nodded, agreeing with the echidna.

"Then we'd better get this thing underway then, huh?" Sonic suggested. The plan was to split into groups but have all of them search the Dragon Kingdom, figuring that was where Espio would most likely be. Vector and Charmy would go the farthest out and search the mountain range; giving the bee the 'road trip' he so desperately wanted while the other's decided amongst themselves. The Team Dark pair, being as concerned as they were, voted to go the least distance and search the borders while the others would spread out across the middle. Once things had been settled, they all made haste towards the Dragon Kingdom. Like Espio, they also expected a vast array of forestry and wildlife that roamed free and also like Espio, they stood stunned at the lifeless waste it had become.

"What… what happened here?" Tails asked, almost lost for words.

"Not a clue, little buddy. If Espio is out here, then we had better find him." Sonic concluded as they all split off into their respective teams. Just before separating, Tails handed out one walkie talkie per group so that they could keep in touch. As soon as everything was set, they departed far into the night.

The journey to the mountains took far longer than either of them had anticipated. The time must have been in the early morning judging by the hint of pink on the horizon. Charmy had gotten tired from flying for the majority of the day and was now sat on top of Vector's shoulders trying his best not to doze off. The croc himself on the other hand, was very much awake as he continuously scanned the land for any sign of the purple reptile. While the towering reptilian didn't spot anything out of place, Charmy managed to make out some black streaks heading into the mountains.

"Vector! Over there!" Charmy shouted out, getting the crocodile's full attention. They hurried over to investigate with the bee having to hop off of his boss' shoulders so that he could kneel down and study them closer.

"Good going Charms!" Vector praised as he thought hard about where these streaks may have come from.

_"They're burns without a doubt. Burns come from fire, but there's nothing here to burn. Maybe someone put this here. Now who uses fire? Blaze? Nah, there's no reason she'd be out here."_ Whilst Vector was deep in thought, Charmy was stood nearby with his arms crossed. He had already worked out the streaks origin and was now waiting for the penny to drop. _"No, no that can't be it. They look more like tracks. Maybe from a rocket? No one has a-"_ The crocodile jumped up in realisation and announced to Charmy with the smuggest look he had ever seen.

"Shadow was here!" His bubble was quickly burst when Charmy unfolded his arms and began clapping slowly. Vector sighed. "You already knew that, didn't you?"

"Well duh, who else do you know that can burn the ground with his feet?"

"Never mind that! Espio might have been with him! We should see where these lead!" With new found determination, the duo rushed off into the mountains.

_Meanwhile…_

Shadow, with this new information, headed back the way he came with a hope of somehow finding Espio. Perhaps telling him that his clan had been captured would ease him somewhat and allow them both to find them. As he walked, his ears perked up at the sound of a chilling scream. It was very distant but that didn't stop him from assuming the worst and skating rapidly down the many corridors.

"Espio!" He called repeatedly, hoping that he would get an answer. His enhanced hearing would easily be able to pick up his voice should he yell in return but instead, he heard something else. It began as a faint hum but the further the mammal travelled the more of a whir it became. Something had to have been causing it and Shadow instantly thought back to Eggman and his machinery. Fearing the worst, the Ultimate Lifeform allowed the noise to help him navigate through the catacombs of rock until he came across a sight which would not leave his memory any time soon.

Shadow had found the Shinobi Clan, but not in the state that he would ever expect. They were all alive, yes, but none of them were free. He had entered an enormous, open room that had clearly been dug out for such a horrific occasion. The entire room had a noticeable blue glow which was coming from a disturbingly familiar machine in the centre. This machine was one that the sinister doctor had used before, however this time; he had made the necessary improvements. This machine that Shadow had his blood orbs fixated upon was nothing other than the Egg Grape Chambers. Each and every, glass sphere that came off from the centre had a chameleon in it. His entire body remained motionless for the moment while his eyes anxiously scanned each chamber until he shook at the sight of a chameleon he recognised. Espio was slamming both his fists on the glass but it was utterly hopeless. The hedgehog was able to lip read Espio shouting his name, but he could hear nothing even close to his usual deep voice.

"Ohohohohoho! Welcome Shadow! To the glory that is my greatest creation yet!" An unmistakable voice announced over some sort of intercom. He was either hiding somewhere in the room or not in it at all and broadcasting from elsewhere. Knowing the doctor, Shadow decided to go with the latter. Regardless, the cowardly doctor was not the hedgehog's priority. His mind tried to think of some way to free Espio of his transparent prison. Chaos Blasting came to mind but swiftly left again as it would likely injure those who were inside. It didn't take long for Shadow to notice that his breathing has quickened significantly and his bones ever so slightly shook. Why? Did he care? Or was it just the thought of not being able to save a life just like 50 years ago? Either way, leaving was not an option, at least not until everyone was out of Eggman's clutches. Whilst continuing to come up with ideas, the remaining Chaotix duo ran in on the seemingly hopeless situation and came to a sudden halt when they realised what they were looking at.

"Shadow! What is going on here?!" Vector demanded, partially forgetting the entire reason they came here, but before the hedgehog could answer, Charmy called out.

"Vector! Look! Up there!" The bee hadn't noticed Shadow at all. The croc stared in the direction the insect child was pointing in and a look of horror appeared on his face. Espio was still fighting a losing battle with the reinforced glass that imprisoned him. As if by instinct, Charmy flew up to Espio's chamber and gently placed his right hand upon the glass. Espio, upon seeing this, placed his left hand in the same place. The bee naturally looked worried but the ninja could read deeper. He wasn't sure if Charmy remembered what these things were, but he could see the fear behind his similar golden eyes. His juvenile mind could remember even if the bee consciously could not.

"Well, well if it isn't the rest of the Chaotix! This will be a show that none of you will forget!" The psychotic doctor was practically singing now. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch if he was dancing around wherever he was.

"We don't have a lot of time." Vector spoke. "Charmy, go find the controls for this thing! We need to shut it down!" Charmy nodded with an uncharacteristically serious expression before flying away from Espio to search for some kind of off switch. In the meantime, Vector got onto the walkie talkie, which Tails had given him earlier, and informed the others of what was going on and where they were.

"We're on our way now." Sonic confirmed to the croc as Shadow walked up to him.

"How long are they going to be?!" The hedgehog demanded.

"I don't know, Shadow. So, you were with Espio." He nodded, confirming the Chaotix leader's suspicions.

"Yes. I ran into him after your little disagreement. I came here aiding him in his task." A look of shame let Shadow know that Vector felt bad for what happened. The croc blamed himself; if he had understood or if they had travelled together then perhaps Espio wouldn't be in his current predicament.

"We're in the caves! Where are you?" Tails suddenly asked. Shadow snatched the walkie talkie from Vector and replied.

"We're in one of the deeper chambers. Follow the machine's humming, it will guide you."

"On our way!" The hedgehog handed back the small device whilst Vector had a slight glare upon him. He then used multiple chambers as platforms so that he could reach Espio's. He tried everything that wasn't immediately dangerous; punching, kicking. He even launched a Chaos Spear which ricocheted and began flying around the room. Shadow slammed his body down and covered his head with his hands as Charmy and Vector did the same. The spear thankfully dissolved after a few seconds without anyone being harmed. Shadow opened his eyes to see Espio chuckling away within his chamber. For a moment, Shadow wasn't amused by his reaction but with time, he began to chuckle along with him, making light-heartedness of the situation. Espio wasn't the one to smile often. Some even thought that Espio couldn't smile at all and made it a myth which became famous locally. It suited him; it carried a feeling of content which the hedgehog almost envied.

"There's nothing that looks like a control panel anywhere, Vector!" Charmy yelled as he flew back into view.

"Nothing at all?! Not even a switch?!" Vector begged.

"Nope. The only thing I found was some weird pipe with a lightning bolt symbol on it." It didn't take long for them both to realise what Charmy had just said.

"That has to be the power! Cut it!" Vector ordered. Charmy flew back to the pipe while Shadow leapt across several chambers to assist the bee.

Eggman was witnessing this sudden turn of events, but he wouldn't allow them to free their friends without a fight.

"No! I should have known that would be too obvious! Still, I have the activation switch right here. There is no chance that they can succeed if they are already dead now, is there? It's perfect! Even Shadow cannot stop me! OHOHOHOHOHO!" He chanted psychotically as he dramatically pulled the lever downwards causing every chamber in the room to activate.

Flashes of blue, purple and white lit up the entire room like a firework display. Everyone looked to see the Shinobi clan being slowly murdered right before their eyes. Shadow panicked at the sight of Espio screaming in agony as his life force was being torn away from him. Charmy was freaking out but Shadow was quick to get him to focus.

"If you want Espio to live then keep going!" His words were harsh but they worked as the duo continued to hack at the pipe and wiring.

Not even 10 seconds had passed and the remaining Mobians charged into the chamber, each with looks of horror.

"Power cable! Now!" Vector shouted at them as he pointed them in the right direction. Sonic was the first to jump up and join Charmy and Shadow. He wanted to question why the Ultimate Lifeform was there at all, but thought that now wasn't the right time. The black hedgehog couldn't help but keep glancing at the chameleon. Each time he looked, Espio seemed paler and his body was moving less until it wasn't moving at all.

"Dammit! Come on!" He yelled out of frustration. With a final burst of energy, Shadow gave one last powerful kick and after a slight tremble, the flashing calmed into its previous consistent glow. While the Egg Grape Chambers had indeed stopped, they weren't out of danger yet. The electrical lock on each chamber opened, allowing the entirety of the clan to be rescued. One by one they were lifted out and gently placed on the somewhat smooth rock surface below. Some were standing but dazed, others couldn't get up but were at least awake whilst a minority were completely unconscious. Charmy helped the effort and found the Bride of Constant Vigil, who was the Shinobi leader. She seemed remarkably unscathed by the event and was quick to ask the bee questions as he carried her to the others.

"I will admit that I did not expect to be rescued at all, regardless of who it was. I expected far less than for the Freedom Fighters to show up." Her voice was strong and held an amount of authority to it. She was indeed a leader and a good one at that. "I must ask, who else is with you?"

"I came here with Vector looking for Espio. We found him…" He paused and saddened. The Bride waited for him to finish. "…he was in one of the chambers." Her expression changed slightly but it didn't hide the hint of worry she felt at his words.

"Understood. Where is he now? I wish to see him."

"I think Shadow went to help him." Charmy told her as they joined the others. They noticed that they were all looking up at one of the chambers, even Sonic who had hopped back down. Charmy and the Bride looked in the same direction. Shadow was inside Espio's chamber with the lifeless chameleon himself. He was trying everything to wake him but so far, nothing had worked.

"Espio, come on!" Concerned would be an understatement. The hedgehog was terrified if anything that another life had been lost and if so, he would only blame himself. He had a hand on each shoulder and shook him in an attempt to bring him round. Just as his thoughts leaned towards giving up, one purple eyelid began to twitch with the other doing the same shortly after. Shadow didn't dare to move, as if any motion at all would send the chameleon to his grave. Two golden eyes revealed themselves and looked up into Shadow's red ones. They weren't as bright as the mammal remembered. Why was he noticing this?

"Shad..." Espio tried to speak but a harsh cough replaced his weak voice.

"Shh..." Shadow said softly. "Save your strength, chameleon." He slowly nodded as the hedgehog carefully picked him up and began to carry him down to the others. Shadow's gaze was fixated upon the reptile in his arms who he soon noticed was smiling at him. It was only slight but Shadow was close enough to notice and tried to smile back. Espio, even in his exhausted state, could see the worry all over his face and in his eyes. He didn't want to burden him. The ninja leaned into his chest to keep himself warm before falling back into unconsciousness. "Not like this…" Shadow whispered as a solitary tear ran down his cheek. Would he just die right here in his arms? The thought alone was frightening.


	4. Weight of War

**Hello! It's that time again! How have you all been? I've been good but that's only because the weather has been great here recently! I love heat waves (Hence why I have or at least mention a desert in most of the stories I write). How have things been for all of you? I hope you have been well. :)**

**Reply to the very nice Guest who only wrote the second review (Didn't know that at the time XD): I didn't realise how long 9,000-ish words was at the time until I read it through again. It should have been at least two or three chapters. I'm glad I didn't do the same for this one though. That would have been exhausting :3 I hope you enjoy it though, I had so much fun rewriting it and often went to the early hours of the morning because I got so into it! X3**

**That's all to say for now. Have a great week and I will see you all soon!**

**Arby xx**

* * *

Once on solid ground, the others gathered quietly around the pair. Charmy was on the edge of tears as his bottom lip trembled. Vector had one arm around the bee as a form of comfort.

"Is he…?" The crocodile began but the hedgehog was quick to shake his head, allowing the larger reptile to sigh with relief for now. Another chameleon stepped out from the small crowd and studied them closely. She looked back and forth between them both with an empathetic look. Like Vector, she placed a hand on the dark hedgehog's shoulder in an attempt to lift the enormous weight that was currently looming over him. He simply nodded at the gesture and the Bride did the same in return.

"Come, we should take him somewhere else." Shadow nodded once more before beginning to make his way out. His footsteps halted when an all too familiar voice laughed its way through the uneasy silence.

"OHOHOHOHOHO! Just when you thought you had victory in your grasp, I come along with part two of my master plan!" Each letter the doctor voiced was irritating Shadow more and more. It took a lot to keep himself composed. "I have you all right where I want you! None of you are in any state to hold off an attack, never mind the most advanced Egg Fleet this planet has ever seen! It is overhead as we speak and an armada of my robots are storming towards your precious home right now! Prepare to see your doom rain from the sky! Farewell! MWAHAHAHAHA!" The mammal's teeth were showing and his breathing was shallow and quick. He was about to lose his temper completely until Rouge noticed and pat him gently on the shoulder. She shook her head and glanced towards Espio. Shadow looked down at him and his sudden rage gradually subsided.

"My Shinobi cannot fight. They are far too weak." The Bride voiced her concerns which got the attention of everyone else.

"No need to worry." Sonic said with high spirits. "All of us can help you! We're not going to let Eggman get away this time!" It was a line that everyone else had heard hundreds of times before, but the Bride was incredibly thankful for the support. They all began helping the other chameleons out of the caves. Some of the warriors had since woken up and assisted the others. Just as Shadow was about to leave with Espio, The Bride called out to him.

"Shadow." He turned and faced her. "I request to fight alongside you." One brow lowered at this, almost not believing what he heard.

"Why me?" He asked.

"There is a bond between you and my son, whether you know it yet or not remains to be seen. You saved his life and for that, I thank you." Shadow wanted to be humbled but he knew too well that he wasn't safe yet.

"Not yet I haven't." He replied; his voice sounding as hopeless as the situation.

"Your past has tragedy hidden within it. Regardless, you have my respect." Did he really hear those words? Were they truly meant for him? He was stunned to begin with, but another look at Espio brought him out of it. He nodded, due to his sudden lack of words and they both made their way out of the large cave. He followed the Bride to her chamber where he placed Espio to rest. Once satisfied that he would be safe, they both made haste out of the caves and back into the desert.

A defiant wind had picked up, creating a mist of sand to stain the sunrise. In the distance, was the noticeable glare of the sunlight off of metal. Just as Eggman had said, an armada of robots was heading their way. None of them had ever seen so many at one time. Even Sonic was being uncharacteristically quiet. The odds were often against them in battles such as these, but with the Egg Fleet visible above them as well, this was on an entirely new level. The doctor had gotten smarter; first with the new Egg Grapes to weaken them; then the return of his Egg Fleet to assault from the skies and finally, control of the ground by force in numbers. The Bride of Constant Vigil was not oblivious to their shared concerns and gathered everyone so that she could say a few words.

"Never before have I had to stand against such a formidable foe. Even our rival clans could not conjure up numbers quite like this. Despite everything that faces us, I look at you all now; stood together as if you were my own warriors and I have complete faith that we can take on our enemy and show them the dire mistake they have made in trespassing upon our home.

Sonic, you and Tails have defeated this madman many times before and not once have you doubted yourselves. You both stand here as brothers with a bond that no evil can break.

Knuckles, your family have guarded the Master Emerald and Angel Island for countless generations. Each and every attempt to see you fall has ended in your victory. They may not be here now, but know that they would be incredibly proud of the Guardian that you have become.

Vector and Charmy, you have both been by Espio's side even before he separated from Shinobi. You have been more of a family to him than myself and for that I owe you many thanks. Fight as if he was stood here now, like the family I know the three of you are.

Shadow, you have lost so much in your life. You blamed humanity and tried to destroy them. It was a dark time for you, but look at yourself now. You stand united with many who consider you a valuable and loyal friend. You may not see it, but they all care about you and I know Espio does as well.

Each and every one of you here should not be afraid of what is to come. I would never ask this of anyone if it was not necessary. I ask that you aid us in defending our territory, our home. Many generations have been born, have lived and have died in these caves; all of them with honour. My only hope is that we can continue to do that for many years to come, but I will need your help.

We are ready to fight, even if it means risking our lives. We will defend what is ours or we will die trying. Who else will join us in our cause and who else is not afraid of the consequences of war?"

Everyone's fears had been washed away with the unexpected, but very welcomed, speech. A unified cheer came from all the Mobians before they set about creating a plan and deciding who would work with who.

Shadow and the Bride had already decided that they would fight together under the codename 'Shinobi'. Sonic, Tails and Knuckles would make up Team Sonic, Rouge and Omega would be Team Dark with Vector and Charmy being Team Chaotix. They each kept their walkie talkies and covered their own section of the mountain border. Shadow and the Shinobi leader were both silent as they watched the oncoming army. Despite the eerie quiet, they both had their own purpose for survival and were confident in each other's abilities.

"We should not allow them to get closer. I suggest attacking them now." The Bride spoke, causing Shadow to smirk.

"I agree. Shall we?" He gestured before they both began a charge allied with Chaos Spears and ninja weaponry. The others were amazed at the sight and soon followed with spin dashes, punches, bullets and whatever else they could throw at them.

Eggman, whilst on board his personal Egg Carrier, saw the numbers of his army plummet and quickly realised that he needed to act.

"Ready the missiles!" He ordered to several robots that were at control panels. "Fire!" A barrage of death left the ships cannons and directed itself towards Shinobi head on. Rouge was the first to notice.

"Omega, counter them!" The E-series war machine fired missiles of his own which collided with Eggman's so that they would detonate in mid-air. All but one hit their target and everyone began to panic. Shadow, upon seeing this, leapt onto the missile seconds before impact and Chaos Controlled it back to where it came from. The doctor panicked at the sight and gave the order to raise the shields. The missile exploded upon contact, leaving him untouched.

"Dammit!" Shadow shouted from the ground.

"There will be other opportunities." The Bride reminded him. "Now is the time to focus." Shadow agreed and soon got back to destroying the robots. An idea came to the hedgehog's mind. He skated deep within the mechanical onslaught and used his emerald to Chaos Blast a few hundred to oblivion. The Bride, while impressed, kept her priority on the robots closest to her so that they couldn't make it to the caves.

Meanwhile with Team Sonic, Tails was growing anxious at Eggman's seemingly continuous assault. Sonic was spin dashing robots one by one while Knuckles was slamming them to pieces using his two spiked fists.

"Keep going guys! He can't keep this up for long!" The Blue Blur said trying to keep the morale of his team high.

Team Chaotix were doing well in keeping the horde off of them. Vector was using a mix of his fire-breathing abilities and his brute strength to take down targets while Charmy acted as a battering ram and flew helmet first into enemies.

"Careful Charmy! Don't go too far forward!" Vector warned him once noticing his risky tactics.

"Don't worry Vector! I'll be fine!" While he was temporarily distracted though, one robot got a lucky shot and hit the unsuspecting bee in the wing. He crashed to the ground instantly. The croc rushed to his aid, using his fists and tail to keep the robots at bay.

"Charmy! Are you ok, little guy?!" Vector asked once the child was in his arms.

"I… hurt, Vector." He whimpered in pain. There was no way he could care for Charmy and hold off Eggman's army at once. He got on the radio and asked for someone to take the insect inside so that he was out of harm's way. Suddenly, Shadow teleported from nowhere and took the bee into his arms.

"I can take him." He said to the confused reptile.

"Will the Bride be alright by herself?" Vector asked out of concern. Shadow nodded.

"She can handle it for now." He told him before skating back into the Shinobi caves.

"Hey… uncle Shadow." Charmy greeted, his voice struggling against the burning pain.

"_Where did you get that nickname from?"_ He thought with a slight annoyance.

"You're… awesome." Shadow already knew that the bee idolised him but nonetheless, his admiration was secretly appreciated. He took Charmy to the same place Espio was resting; the Bride's Chamber. The hedgehog gently laid the bee down next to the chameleon who in all honesty… looked dead.

"Espio…" He whispered with the tiniest hint of fear. Another lonesome tear escaped him but this time he wiped it away with one gloved hand. The caves around the trio suddenly began to shake. It was as if an earthquake had started. In truth, Eggman had fired another salvo of missiles and unlike last time, Omega couldn't counter them quick enough. The majority had made it to Shinobi and were now causing many of the passage ways to collapse. "Charmy, you need to hold on to me as tight as you can, ok?" He asked in a calm voice so that the bee wouldn't panic further. The child listened to his every word and placed his arms around the hedgehog's neck. This kept Shadow's arms free so that he could carry Espio to safety. They made it to the surface along with the rest of the Shinobi. More and more of them were waking up and recovering quickly, it was remarkable how much they could endure. Many, who were able to fight, joined the Bride in holding off their attackers while others attended to those that had sustained the worst effects from the Egg Grapes. Shadow left Charmy and Espio with the other injured warriors as he went to look for the Bride.

"May I speak with you?" He asked once he had found her and they both went away from the front lines.

"What is this about?" She questioned.

"That last missile strike did a lot of damage to the underground tunnels. Many have collapsed and are beyond repair." The black hedgehog explained.

"What is your point?" Her voice was stern now, but Shadow wasn't intimidated.

"My point is that your caves are now very unstable; living in them would be dangerous."

"What do you suggest?"

"I suggest cutting your losses and finding somewhere else to live." The expression on the chameleon's face was enough to convey her dislike of the idea.

"This is our home, hedgehog. Did you not hear me earlier?"

"I heard you loud and clear, but even you must realise that you will be standing by a crater if this keeps up. Even the rest of your clan have escaped out here." The Bride took a good look at her warriors that were spread out along the battlefield, defending their home with everything they had.

"We are Shinobi, Shadow, and we will not give up to this tyrant!" She argued but the hedgehog was not just going to abandon them here.

"It's not giving up, it's being smart. I understand honour and fighting till your last breath to secure a victory, but this isn't it! Dying for a lost cause is not honourable! It's suicide!" The Shinobi Bride took another look at her attacking clan. "Your chameleons will die out here and then you will have nothing left. If we leave now, then you can live elsewhere and recover." She didn't need any more convincing. Shadow was right; the lives of her trained and honourable warriors were not worth the risk of defending something which can be replaced with enough effort.

"You have my thanks, Shadow." She returned to her clan and gave the order to retreat. With haste, they gathered everything that was needed and they followed their leader deeper into the mountains. Shadow carried Espio while Charmy was being carried by Vector. Teams Sonic and Dark bought them enough time to retreat without the armada following before re-joining them. The Bride had sent several of the Shinobi to scout ahead for any more cave systems that they could potentially make their new home.

It was early morning now and Shadow was staring at the skyline with memories of him and Espio in the desert repeating themselves over and over. It was a better time for him despite it being only last night. He swallowed back the lump in his throat and forced himself to keep trudging through the snow that now greeted his every step. Despite demanding his mind to deny it, Shadow felt different somehow. Each time he thought about himself with Espio, that same lump would come back and more tears would threaten to fall. Why was this? Was it ok? Can it be stopped? Did he want it to stop? The entire journey was spent fighting this moral war. The hedgehog was oblivious to the scouts returning and leading them to a new cave entrance. Before they could enter, the Bride along with several of her Shinobi stood in front of the others.

"To ensure the safety of our whereabouts, I must demand that you keep the location of this area a secret. Failure to do so will result in severe punishment. Do you all understand?" One by one, they all agreed even if they were a little uneasy about the 'severe punishment' part. Once that had been dealt with, they all moved inside and settled down, allowing rest to those who needed it. Thankfully, Omega had basic medical supplies in one of his many hidden compartments. He allowed Vector to take some bandages and tend to Charmy's injured wing. The bee shivered on occasion due to the pain, but Vector made sure he was careful.

"You were really brave today, little guy." He praised even if he thought his actions were incredibly reckless.

"Thanks." He smiled as he spoke. "I wanted to be all tough and fearless like you and Espio." The comment caught the croc off-guard. He rubbed the back of his neck before speaking.

"We aren't quite as heroic as you think we are, Charms. We're just as likely to get hurt as anyone else." A worried sigh escaped the reptile. "The proof is lying over there." They both looked towards Espio who had still not woken up since the Grape Chambers. The Mobians had various thoughts on the chameleon's fate, but they all kept them quiet to avoid upsetting anyone else.

Shadow was stood near Rouge and Omega when the Bride of Constant Vigil approached him.

"Shadow, can I talk with you?" She asked. The hedgehog had no idea what she may have wanted to say, but he went with her anyway.

"I wonder what's going on." Rouge questioned but Omega didn't say anything and just stood staring in the direction they had both walked off in.

Once separated from the rest of the group, the Bride began to speak.

"You intrigue me, hedgehog."

"How so?" Shadow questioned with one brow raised and his arms folded. Constant Vigil kept her gaze upon the Ultimate Lifeform as she addressed him.

"You aided us in our efforts. You and I both know that you tend to act when there is a benefit towards you. As you can clearly see, we have nothing to offer you or anyone else which leads me to think about your behaviour towards Espio." Shadow held his ground but on the inside, his heart was pounding, yet he still couldn't understand why. "You have been very caring towards him, so much so that you came here with him to ease his worries about us."

"How did you know that?!" Shadow said with more panic than he intended. The Bride smirked for just a moment before continuing, ignoring his question entirely.

"No matter what it is you're feeling, we Shinobi have no problems with it."

"Who said I was feeling anything?" Shadow demanded.

"Still in denial, I see?" Shadow's expression changed with his irritation while Constant Vigil remained perfectly calm and collected. She knew why he was acting this way but chose not to force the subject any further. "I shall leave you be. I only ask that you think about what it is you want and do so with certainty and a purpose." She returned to the others, leaving Shadow to ponder on the words she had said to him. He caught sight of a small, black and yellow insect that walked up and sat next to him.

"I can't fly." He complained bluntly with his arms crossed. Shadow remained stood up, also with his arms firmly folded.

"It's not that bad." The hedgehog replied.

"How?" The child questioned. Shadow rolled his crimson eyes but decided to talk to him nonetheless.

"You could have been killed." It sounded brutal, but it was true. If that robot knew how to aim, then Charmy may have been worse off than just an injured wing. Curiosity entered the mammal's mind and for once, he allowed himself to voice it. "Are you worried about Espio?" Charmy stared at him for a few seconds but nodded eventually.

"Yep, I'm really scared. I've never seen him like that before." Shadow felt a silent sadness as the bee spoke. Even a child was comfortable talking about his feelings. Why couldn't he do the same? "Are you worried to?" He asked in return.

"I am. Perhaps more than someone like you could understand."

"What do you mean?" The bee whined, feeling insulted.

"It doesn't matter." Shadow said sternly, hoping to quieten him.

"Please, uncle Shadow?" He pleaded to no avail.

"No." He growled with a glare. The intimidation didn't hit him at all, but he did get the hint at least.

"Ok, but you wanna know what I think?" Shadow, in all honesty, didn't care, but that didn't stop him from voicing his thoughts anyway. "I think that if it was you in his position, then he would be just as worried." The hedgehog turned suddenly with his eyes wide only to see Charmy walking away. Frustration forced an exhale before the hedgehog walked out into the morning light.

There was a chill that accompanied the mountain air as Shadow stood observing the environment around him. He was stood on one of the smaller peaks which had a grand view of the rest of the range. It was rock and snow as far as the eye could see with a gentle mist blanketing the ground. Shadow wanted to do nothing except relax for once in his life, but once again, his many thoughts and uncertainties allowed him to do no such thing. His original companion came to mind; a young girl aboard the ARK with a name to match her friendly and innocent personality; Maria. The 'tragedy' that the Bride had mentioned earlier was her. Maria's life was brought to a sudden end after G.U.N. raided the ARK in order to stop the experiments that were taking place there. He often wondered where she was now, assuming she was anywhere. Shadow wasn't a spiritual hedgehog, but he liked to think that she was happy nonetheless. With another heavy sigh, the mammal decided that he wouldn't get answers standing around doing nothing. He checked to make sure no one was around before bolting for the desert without looking back.


	5. Fate's Ever-Present Shadow

**Greetings to all! How are you today? Here's Chapter 5 all ready to go for you!**

**As much as it pains me to say this, the next chapter is the final chapter. :( **

**On a better note, re-writing this and the response it has gotten, made this so much fun! I'm so glad I did this! I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I've enjoyed rewriting! :) Anyway, I'll leave all that farewell stuff for next week.**

**On a side note, for those of you who may read _'Welcome Home'_, I know a chapter was supposed to be up today, but I have been very busy and I simply didn't have the time to write, check and upload. I will however, get it all done for tomorrow. My apologies for the delay.**

**I think that's everything for now. I will see you all again next week!**

**Arby xx**

* * *

Back inside the caves, the others had settled and were chatting to try and ignore the tense atmosphere. Rouge was stood by a still Omega, wondering where Shadow had gotten to since Constant Vigil returned alone.

"Perhaps he left. He's not usually one for staying in the same place for a prolonged period of time." The bat suggested aloud.

"Perhaps you could take a page from his book and do the same thing." Knuckles suggested with an edge to his voice. The pair never seemed to see eye to eye but Rouge found entertainment in teasing the echidna.

"Oh Knuckie, how could I leave you here knowing that you'd miss me horribly?" She questioned seductively. Knuckles, on the other hand, was not at all pleased by his new nickname and the presumption of him missing her.

"I have never missed you before and I damn well won't miss you now. Do us all a favour and go already." His fists were clenched as he spoke but the intimidation act was lost on the bat or she simply chose to ignore it.

"Fine, but when you get lonely, you know where I am." She winked playfully before leaving the caves followed by Omega. Vector, whilst trying to stop his childish smirking, walked up to Knuckles to see if he was alright.

"She really likes to wind you up, huh?" He asked. Knuckles laughed it off and pat Vector on the back.

"The funny thing is, she really thinks that she's got a hold on me but one day, she'll realise that she isn't the only one who can act." The croc gave him a questionable look as the red echidna walked off chuckling quietly. His eyes then fell onto a bitter-sweet sight. Charmy was sat with his legs crossed next to Espio. The bee was talking to him with the hope that the chameleon could hear in his unconscious state.

"Uncle Shadow is so cool! I got shot in the wing and he appeared from thin air and took me inside. He reminds me of you. You're both so serious and stuff, but you're both super awesome with your powers and techniques! Do you want to hear something really amazing though? No matter what powers uncle Shadow has, he'll never be as cool of a ninja as you. He could never deal with Vector and I every single day, but you can." He stopped and swallowed hard, not noticing the tears gently rolling down his face. "Why did you leave, Espio? Was it me? I know I can be loud and hyper but… I could never be myself without you around. You're-you're my big brother Es… d-don't go…" He couldn't talk anymore as the sorrow overwhelmed him. Vector quickly knelt at the bee's side and pulled him into a hug. Charmy buried his face and cried hard into the reptilian's shoulder. He was truly scared that Espio would never wake up.

_Later That Day…_

A black hedgehog was seen in a dusty, old base. The many moustached silhouettes on the walls told him quickly whose base it used to be. He was at a control panel, trying to hack into it. Shadow didn't come here out of coincidence; he chose to come to this base out of the many others. This base in particular held more meaning because this was where he ran into the Chaotix when they were trying to get into Eggman's database. He remembered the three of them watching him as he approached before he slammed his fist into the console, somehow getting it to work and then jumping through the gateway. Mimicking his actions, he did the same thing and sure enough, the gateway opened, illuminating the entire room once again. Shadow took one saddened breath before jumping back into the Mad Matrix.

It looked vastly different to what he remembered. The vibrant colours of the data stream were now heavily faded and dull. The guards that once roamed were now long gone and the hectic atmosphere was strangely quiet. None of it felt right, which mirrored his current situation. The realm was, in many ways, just like Espio. Not so long ago his only problem was the fate of his clan and now, he was fighting for his life. Not so long ago his scales were a strong shade of magenta whereas now, he was pale and almost grey. Not so long ago he was full of life and now, he was almost dead. Espio was firmly on his mind and Shadow could not think of anything or anyone else. He was startled when something began forming next to him. Two red orbs were fixated on the thousands of pixels that were creating something he quickly recognised.

"That's… not possible…" He whispered in sheer disbelief. Soon enough, stood next to him was the purple ninja himself. He turned to face him and gave a respectful nod before speaking.

"Shadow, thanks for your help earlier." The hedgehog's jaw hung to match his speechlessness. "Actually, I need to extract some data out of Eggman's database. Feel like lending me a hand?" Every word he remembered clearly. It soon dawned on him that this wasn't the real Espio like he had originally thought. Instead, it was a saved copy of him. It wasn't just Espio either, their mission had been saved this entire time and now Shadow was about to relive it as much as he wanted. The digital environment lit up and robots began appearing. The hedgehog smirked at his regenerated friend.

"Of course… Espio." The chameleon smirked back at him before moving forward.

"Eggman's guardian mechs! Don't let them shoot us! Let's try slipping past them…" He already remembered that the doctor found and attacked them once they had all the data from the four terminals. Nonetheless, he listened and followed quietly behind him.

Suddenly, a wall of light blocked their path. The black mammal already knew what these things were but Espio explained them just like he did the first time. "This is a barrier set to keep out any intruders." They weren't strong enough to keep out these two though as they easily smashed their way through only to be greeted by some digital diamonds which Shadow remembered being very irritating. "Attacking these things makes them split up into multiple units! Be careful!" Shadow huffed at the chameleon's concern towards him, but he knew that he was like this with everyone that he considered to be an ally or a friend. It was nothing more.

The hedgehog led the way through the blue tower and after several guards and a colour-coded gate; they made it to the first terminal.

"That's one of the terminals Vector told me about!" They both approached and activated it, allowing the data to be accessed. Shortly after, they were carried up and out of the tower, revealing the other three. Shadow already knew from their first venture that the data was split up, but the saved version of Espio was just learning this now and was still very surprised. "Alright let's… what?! The data is fragmented! These terminals aren't linked!"

"Regardless, the data you seek can still be retrieved. It'll just take a little more time." Shadow spoke with an unusually reassuring tone. "I will still be here to help you, that is, if you'll let me?" He turned away as if what he said sounded stupid. The Ultimate Lifeform was waiting for his rejection.

"Of course, hedgehog. There will always be a spot for you next to me, should you ever want to take it."

"_W-what?!"_ He wasn't crazy. Espio never said that when they first journeyed through the matrix. Perhaps there was move saved in here than he suspected. Something clicked in Shadow's head. He questioned it at first despite knowing what it was, he just couldn't believe it; acceptance. No matter what Shadow had done, he could be around the chameleon and know that there was no judgement. Only one other person in his life had ever done that.

The hedgehog was lost for a few minutes. So many questions and answers were running through his head that he completely forgot that he just staring at the chameleon with a wide eyed expression.

"Shadow?" He asked calmly which brought him back to his current mission. A small smile was clear on his face with that same content feeling it always brought with it. Shadow couldn't help- no; he _wanted_ to smile in return. The black hedgehog had not felt this kind of security or certainty for a very long time.

"Someday, chameleon." He replied before skating ahead. Espio paused for a moment before following behind him.

The three towers proved to be no problem. They all had their fair amount of guards and obstacles with Shadow nearly falling off the edge of a moving platform. Thankfully though, Espio grabbed his arm before the events back at Shinobi repeated themselves. He nodded to show his thanks before swiftly moving on. The last tower they entered was the red one. The room the terminal was located was vastly different from the previous three. It was a large, open room with an enormous, digital sphere in the centre that had the terminal on top. Both Shadow and Espio were forced to float uncontrollably around the room in order to make it to the elevator platforms that took them to the top.

"I'm getting really dizzy here. I think I'm losing my touch." The ninja complained after flipping backwards too many times. Shadow chuckled at his comment; Espio was the last person he expected to lose his sense of balance and direction. Either way, they made it to the elevator even if they were a bit unsteady on their feet. Once at the top, they hopped across a few cubes that were circling the sphere before activating the fourth and final terminal. "You've been a great help."

"As have you." Shadow thanked him. He slowly reached a hand out but Espio was quick to fade right before him back into the computer's memory. A certain sadness overcame him now that he was alone. Should he really go back and confront the real Espio? Or should he stay here and guarantee his sense of belonging? In truth, his mind had already been made up. Shadow would much rather feel real pain than fake happiness. With that said and done, he was transported back to the control panel in Eggman's base. The room had returned to darkness now that the gateway had closed. Shadow didn't allow any other thoughts to break his new-found purpose and he moved as fast as he could back to the Dragon Kingdom.

Shadow had no idea how much time had passed. Just one glance at the setting sun told him that he had been away for too long. Unfortunately, the past came back to bite him as the remains of Eggman's robotic armada were stood before him. He gave a strong glare before charging towards them without a second to breathe. The urgency to get back sent Shadow on a dismantling spree. Heads were torn off, limbs were ripped to pieces and entire robots were being obliterated by his Chaos powers. The mammal finally came to a halt when the final robot fell at his feet. He was panting heavily not from the fighting, but from the sweltering heat that had plagued his efforts. Apparently his black fur didn't go well with the heat wave. Shadow studied the nearest star yet again to see that it was noticeably lower in the sky but not quite on the horizon yet. It must have been a few hours. He had to get back.

"_Please, still be alive."_ The hedgehog begged in his mind as he skated from dried mud to sand to rock and finally, to snow. The weather had also changed to match his feelings and environment. The mountain range had now been engulfed by a snow storm which was nothing but torture to get through. With his sudden run of bad luck, Shadow couldn't help but be a little sceptical. Was this some sort of brutal sign? Were the elements truly against him? He noticed a small peak nearby and took cover next to it, burying his face in his hands for a brief moment before staring down at his feet. His crimson eyes noticed a gap in the mountain side. After squinting for a better look, he quickly realised that it was the new Shinobi Cave entrance. He had indeed made it, but there was one question that remained. Would he enter or would he leave again?

The majority of the Mobians had settled well. They had decided to stay here until the storm had passed and were even helping to care for the others. Charmy had cried himself to sleep next to Espio. Vector had returned to Knuckles for a talk. The echidna reassured him that their ninja friend would pull through, but even the head honcho had his doubts that he needed to voice before he went insane. Sonic and Tails were helping where they could whilst the Bride had her full attention on her clan to make sure they were organised and well.

"That reminds me, wasn't Shadow here earlier?" Vector remembered as they had followed the hedgehog's skating path to the Shinobi in the first place. The croc seemed genuinely confused as to why he wasn't here now while Knuckles wasn't all that bothered. They didn't talk much and the hedgehog usually irritated him anyway.

"He was but he's not here now." The croc rolled his eyes at his obvious statement.

"I know that but I mean, he looked terrified about Espio's condition. I don't think I've ever seen him like that." Vector's attention to detail clearly wasn't lacking, but Knuckles again shrugged it off.

"I doubt it. Shadow's only concerns are the Chaos Emeralds and the ARK. He won't commit to anything unless either of those two are involved." Vector wasn't convinced but he nodded nonetheless. Knuckles had made a point; Shadow had gone on many adventures, both good and evil, for both of those things and not once had he shown significant concern for those around him; but that didn't mean he didn't care and the croc couldn't ignore Shadow's previous behaviour. He was panicked, scared and even angry after finding Espio in his near-death condition. Why was that? He was brought from his thoughts when a silhouette appeared at the entrance. As it came closer, they both realised that it was none other than the dark hedgehog in question.

"I am not that shallow." He said sternly with his stare upon the Guardian. "Unlike some who care more for a singular gem than for others around them." Shadow could tell he had hit a nerve just by the look on Knuckles' face.

"That is not true, Shadow!" He spat at him.

"That is my point, echidna. Do not make false presumptions about someone you do not know." Knuckles sulked in the corner after that. He kept his arms crossed and stared at the floor like a child that had just been told off. Moving on from the sudden unpleasant atmosphere, Shadow looked towards Espio with concern clear in his eyes. "How is he?" The hedgehog asked, causing Vector and Knuckles to give each other an odd look.

"No better than before." Vector stated sadly. Shadow nodded slowly before he walked over and knelt down next to the chameleon with the bee sleeping next to him. The crocodile looked back at Knuckles who now understood what he was talking about earlier. He could only shrug with one brow raised; he too was clueless at Shadow's actions.

"Knuckles." Shadow began, getting the echidna's attention. "You know the Master Emerald better than anyone else. Can you tell me the extent of its power?"

"Can I ask why you're asking me this?" The red Guardian questioned, not sure as to where the black hedgehog was going with this.

"There is reason for it, I assure you." Knuckles paused for a second, but decided that there was no harm in telling him. After all, he would never have a reason to take it.

"It is the Master Emerald that keeps Angel Island afloat. If the Chaos Emeralds ever fell into the wrong hands, the Master Emerald is able to stop all seven of them. However, only I can control it in order to do so. Is that enough for you?" He didn't once look at the echidna but listened to his every word and nodded. The hedgehog gently held Espio's hand within his own and placed two fingers on his wrist. Knuckles and Vector couldn't take their eyes off of him, constantly wondering what on Mobius he was doing. Was he ok? Shadow then moved them to the top of his neck. His motion seemed quick and panicked for reasons neither Mobian was sure of.

"No…" He stood up slowly with his eyes tightly closed. Vector tilted his head but was shocked to see several tears running down his jet black fur. The green croc gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm amazed, Shadow. I've never seen you cry before. Is everything ok?" Vector asked as softly as he could. The distraught mammal didn't answer him and instead, looked at Knuckles with desperate, crimson eyes.

"Can it bring people back?" His voice was flooded with sadness and that moment, they both realised why Shadow was suddenly so upset.

"Oh no…" Knuckles whispered out of shock.

"E-Espio?" Vector began to panic.

"I am so sorry." Shadow said genuinely to the broken croc. Vector couldn't talk, he could barely breathe. He wanted to believe that Shadow was just being cryptic but the truth was all too real for him.

Espio was dead.


	6. No Fear, No Doubt

**So here it is, the last chapter in this short, but incredible journey. I have loved every second of rewriting this. It started out as just a little project to return some of the glory that this story once held when I first wrote it, but it soon became a goal to make it so much better than it was (and so much longer). It used to be a one shot and it is now a six chapter, short story.**

**I cannot begin to explain how thankful and grateful I am to everyone for reading, reviewing and just generally being awesome! The reception this little story of mine had just blew my mind!**

**A big shout out to those who reviewed: The two Guests (Sorry, I don't know your names X3) who left very kind words that instantly brought a smile to my face and my best friend, N7Powermaster, who has supported me through everything. I cannot thank you enough. :)**

**I'm sad to see this end (again), but I'm really proud to look at this and the original to see what this story has become.**

**This will be the last you'll see of me for a while, which I have mentioned before, but life is screaming for my undivided attention. Once I've dealt with those issues however, I will come back to finish off _'Welcome Home'_ and write new stories in the future!**

**Enjoy the story and I will see you all soon! Much love to you all!**

**Arby xx**

* * *

"I can still save you… if you'll let me?" Shadow asked, repeating his question from the Mad Matrix. "You never answered me, Knuckles."

"I-I've never used it for that sort of thing before. We don't even know how long he's been… you know."

"That doesn't matter." Shadow said with determination to his words. "I am not giving up on him and you two shouldn't either." They both nodded before getting themselves ready for an abrupt exit.

"Guys, can we please keep Espio's condition quiet for Charmy? He'll be devastated otherwise." Vector asked still with the same sadness. The others agreed before the croc woke the bee. He explained the situation to Charmy without telling him that Espio had already gone. He nodded, whilst still tired, and allowed Vector to carry him, snuggling into his shoulder as he did so. Knuckles carefully picked Espio up and waited by the cave entrance with the Chaotix duo while Shadow explained things to Constant Vigil.

"We are taking Espio with us to Angel Island in a hope of… helping him." He quietened his voice so that Charmy wouldn't hear. The Bride saddened for the moment as she answered.

"I understand. I wish you luck." Shadow raised a brow.

"You're not coming with us?"

"I cannot. My clan needs me here. I trust you completely, Shadow. I know you will take care of him." The hedgehog smiled slightly. 'Trust' was a word he heard rarely and when he did hear it, it was never intended for him. With a final nod, he returned to the others, but the red echidna was quick to voice a problem.

"Shadow, even if the Master Emerald can help him, we'll never make it with Espio in this state."

"I have been to Angel Island before. I can Chaos Control us there." He stated, easing the Guardian to some extent. With that, they gathered around Shadow as he said the two words that caused them to disappear immediately.

In an instant, they went from a mountain range under attack from a blizzard, to a peaceful jungle environment with the evening sun giving everything a warm glow through the canopy. They each looked around, wondering where on the island they were.

"It's ok." Knuckles reassured, as if he had just read their minds. "I can lead us to the shrine from here." They all followed as the echidna led them through the foliage-covered ground. As they traversed the difficult environment, Shadow took this time of quiet to think about what would happen after this. Each and every scenario ran through his head; some where he lives and others where he does not. If he did make it, would he accept him or reject him? The Espio he met in the digital realm seemed to be open, but that mission was a long time ago, the chameleon could have changed his opinion on things since then. Shadow stopped his train of thought when he realised none of that mattered unless his initial plan worked and if not… he couldn't bear to think about it.

"We're here." Knuckles announced as the trees cleared revealing a long, stone stairway which led to the grand gem itself; the Master Emerald.

"What if this doesn't work?" Charmy suddenly whimpered whilst still in Vector's arms. The croc panicked, trying to think of a way of explaining things to the bee without upsetting him.

"Then I don't know, little guy." The child knew what that meant and rested his head back on Vector's shoulder. The croc patted his back in an attempt to comfort him.

They all made their way to the top of the shrine where the Master Emerald sat majestically. It gave off a gentle, green glow as the night approached. Knuckles laid Espio down in front of the emerald and gestured for everyone to stand back.

"What is it that you need to do?" Shadow asked.

"I just need to channel the emerald's power. It will only listen to me." He paused and gave an uneasy look to the hedgehog. "Look Shadow, I-"

"I know you have your doubts." Shadow said, cutting Knuckles off. "But I need you to do this… for him." The Guardian had never seen Shadow like this and wondered what his motive was. He could tell that it wasn't malicious but then… what was it? Knuckles turned back to the emerald and began to speak to it with a strong voice.

"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power; power is enriched by the heart. The controller is the one that unifies the Chaos. Only you can do this! Bring back our friend, for his death was too soon!"

"His what?!" Charmy suddenly panicked. Before he could react further, the Master Emerald shone much brighter than it had done before. The entire island lit up and everyone was forced to shield their eyes from the blinding light. They could all feel the heat being generated by the Chaos energy. It was blissful yet uncomfortable at the same time. Knuckles and Shadow both raised their arms to shield them whilst Vector turned away and Charmy buried his head into the croc's shoulder.

After a short while, the light began to fade until it had returned to its normal emerald glow. Everyone looked back to the gem with a shared feeling of anxiety. Had it worked? Shadow knelt by Espio's side. He was motionless and his scales still lacked colour.

"No… Espio, please." The hedgehog begged but there was no response. He looked towards the echidna who shook his head. Even from the start he wasn't sure if it was possible. Shadow held the chameleon's hand tightly with no fear in his movements. His expression slowly grew into a glare. "Damn that hedgehog." He growled.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Knuckles questioned.

"Does he not realise the doctor's intentions? Sonic only sees his battle with Eggman as a game. Only when it goes too far does he take action and even then, he allows Eggman to live. He has crossed the line so many times. When will Sonic learn?! Do we all have to be dead for him to realise the truth as to what is really going on?! None of this would have happened if Sonic took him seriously. That man has only one intention and that is to kill us! All of us!" While Shadow's outburst was unexpected, he had made a good point. Sonic fought the doctor nearly every single day and each time they met, he would constantly tease and taunt him until he eventually blew up whatever it was that Eggman had created. On a rare occasion however, Eggman would get the upper hand; Charmy in the Egg Grapes, Sonic on the ARK and now Espio in the Shinobi Caves. Eggman may not have been the most intimidating villain, but he was deadly nonetheless and that had been proven once more. On the other hand, Sonic was never one to harm another. He stopped evil by teaching a lesson and not permanently solving the problem. He would never harm a single being, never mind kill them. The bottom line was which one was more important; sticking to your morals, which could cost lives or breaking them to keep others safe?

Shadow left his thoughts and kept his eyes on the chameleon next to him only to see that nothing had changed. His eyelids tightly closed as more tears fought through them. He clutched his hand desperately as he rested his head upon his chest. The mammal looked up suddenly and stared at Espio's eyes.

"What is it?" Knuckles asked. Was the hedgehog losing his mind? He squeezed Espio's hand once more and waited.

"Espio?" He questioned with clear hope in his voice. The others gathered round and watched the ninja's hand as Shadow kept a tight hold on it. His mouth hung open slightly when he realised he wasn't imagining things; the chameleon was gripping his hand in return! Shadow began to chuckle. In all honesty, he wasn't certain on how to react but if there was one thing he knew; he was inexplicably relieved. Knuckles' jaw dropped whilst Vector and Charmy hugged each other and cheered out of joy.

"I-I can't believe it!" The echidna admitted. He was so sure that something would go wrong that he forgot about the possibility of success. The familiar magenta that they all remembered quickly returned to his scales. His eyes, now bright and golden as Shadow remembered so clearly, opened and looked up at the hedgehog who was watching over him.

"Espio! Espio! Espio!" Charmy exclaimed happily once the chameleon had woken up. Vector couldn't calm the bee child so he, along with Knuckles, took him to the bottom of the shrine to allow Espio to recover. It took a few minutes for the ninja to realise where he was; the Master Emerald being a big indication. He grunted before trying to sit up. Shadow saw that he was having some trouble and put his arm around him for support. The hedgehog could not take his eyes off him. Part of him still couldn't believe it. A smile was plastered on him like concrete, which Espio soon returned. There it was; even after being brought back from the dead. Content. This time, it provided Shadow with a warmth that he had missed.

"Greetings, Shadow." Espio spoke with his instantly recognisable deep voice.

"Es…" Shadow began but his mind seemed to stop working and his expression soon became serious.

"Is everything ok?" The reptile questioned, showing concern which Shadow secretly appreciated. The hedgehog still had one arm around him and without thinking about it anymore, used the other one to pull him into a tight embrace.

"Don't… leave me again." He whispered. Espio was shocked at first. A hug from the Ultimate Lifeform was not at all what he had expected. His words however, calmed him and he slowly placed his arms around the mammal, returning the hug in a gentler fashion. A thought came to Espio's mind which he was not going to let slip by.

"May I ask you something?" They both released their hold and stared at each other, crimson and amber uniting for the first time in so long. "How are you feeling right now?" It was blunt and seemingly obvious to say the least, but Shadow knew Espio enough to know that he had a reason for asking.

"Ridiculously relieved. I would even go as far to say that… I'm happy; but why do you ask?"

"That happiness you feel. What is the reasoning behind it?" The mammal rolled his eyes at the sudden Q&amp;A session.

"Perhaps because you're alive? Has death hindered your intelligence?" A grin made its way across Espio's face. He knew what was going on inside of Shadow's head and he was going to get it out of him.

"Do not try to hide, hedgehog. What is the _real_ reason behind it?" Shadow suddenly felt nervous. Had Espio really figured it out that quickly? "You can trust me, Shadow." His tone was very comforting and gave Shadow enough reassurance to open up. Their eyes met again as he spoke.

"You do not know what I have been through. Without you, I found myself lost. I had no direction and even found myself returning to the site where we entered the matrix." The chameleon was stunned by this, not realising how far the hedgehog would go when in a time of crisis.

"W-why?" He stuttered involuntarily.

"I didn't know it at the time, but there was a digital version of you saved on Eggman's computer. It generated and I was able to relive our mission. It may have not been the real you, but regardless of that fact, you gave me a sense of belonging, a reason for being here. A purpose." Espio's grin was now a small smile as he asked one last question.

"What is that purpose, Shadow?" The hedgehog smiled, being silently thankful that he asked.

"To be by your side. That is… if you'll let me?" Shadow turned away, feeling a sudden heat rise to his face while Espio couldn't stop smiling even if he wanted to. While he wasn't looking, the chameleon gently took a hold of his hand. The black hedgehog turned back slowly with a look of surprise.

"Of course, Shadow. There will always be a spot for you next to me." His smile slowly widened until he started to feel like an idiot. Shadow then rested his head on the reptilian's shoulder whilst quietly chuckling to himself. Espio ran his hand through the red streak of fur on his head, causing him to purr with content. They remained like that, oblivious to the trio watching them from the bottom of the shrine.

Vector kept sniffing, telling the other two that he was on the edge of tears.

"Vector." Knuckles said in an irritated tone as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm just overwhelmed, ok?!" The Chaotix leader said in his defence.

"Lighten up, Knuckles. Espio's ok!" Charmy sung loudly.

"Yeah, and I think Shadow's more thankful for that than you might think." He laughed at his own remark, while Charmy gave him a confused look. "Forget it, kid. We should give those two some time alone. I think they need it." He suggested with a grin. Whilst still as clueless as before, Charmy nodded and he, along with Vector and Knuckles, went to another part of the island, allowing Shadow and Espio appreciate each other's company knowing that neither will leave the other again.


End file.
